The Best Movie Actor In Hollywood!

Chapter 738

With most of the filming complete, the crew shot for just one week at Warner Studios in Los Angeles before finishing all the interior scenes. The exterior shots required coordination with the Los Angeles city government, so the team rushed to Calgary, Canada, to film the snowy action sequences.

For the location, the crew chose a mountain range near Banff National Park. During his preliminary scouting, Christopher Nolan had discovered a ski resort there that was currently closed. Its unique conditions and guaranteed privacy made it an ideal place to shoot.

However, because it was a secluded area, the crew ran into some problems with daily life outside of filming.

The hotel where the crew was staying was in rather poor condition. There was no central heating, only a fireplace and an old air conditioner with a weak heating function, so the rooms never got very warm. The only other hotel was too far away, and switching would have meant wasting a lot of time commuting each day.

So, the crew decided against changing hotels. After all, they wouldn't be staying for long.

Christopher Nolan was committed to shooting on real locations, and the scenes in the snow-covered mountains proved more challenging than expected: high altitude, freezing weather, and relatively thin air.

The male actors managed more easily. For the actresses, like Emma Roberts, it was much tougher.

Matthew sped across the vast snowy plains on a snowmobile, heading for the set. Emma Roberts, sitting behind him, suddenly shouted, "Slow down! The wind is too strong and cold!"

Matthew eased off the throttle. "Just hang on a little longer. We're almost there."

Emma Roberts bundled herself deeper into her thick down winter coat and pressed her entire body against his back. "It's freezing. How many more days of this? I can't take it."A biting wind whipped past, carrying flurries of snow. Emma leaned in closer and fell silent, trying to shield her face from the blast.

Not far ahead, after rounding a snow-covered hill, they spotted the film crew. Matthew gradually reduced his speed.

Since the crew was in the middle of a take, Matthew stopped some distance away and motioned for Emma to follow him.

They didn't have any scenes that morning, so they had stayed at the hotel, only rushing over after lunch.

Trudging through the deep snow, Emma Roberts stumbled and ended up clinging to Matthew's arm to stay upright. As they walked, she grumbled, "It's cold in the hotel, but at least with the fireplace and the air conditioner, it's not so bad. Out here, there's nothing... Damn, I've never missed the Los Angeles sun more than I do right now."

"I miss the warm sun, too." Matthew held out his palm, and a snowflake landed on it, melting instantly. "Let's just finish shooting and get out of here."

During the filming of "Cobra Strike" in Iceland last year, it had been colder than this, but the indoor accommodations in Iceland were quite comfortable—unlike here, where it was cold both outside and in.

They had already applied their makeup at the hotel, and their down jackets were part of their costumes, so they didn't have to fuss with anything in the freezing weather.

The crew was filming a scene, so all Matthew and Emma Roberts could do was wait patiently.

Emma Roberts's entire body was wrapped in a thick down jacket, with only her eyes visible. Her voice came out muffled as she said to Matthew, "As I recall, in these scenes, Cobb has to roll around in the snow."

Matthew shrugged. "That was an old version. I just saw the latest script yesterday. In this one, Cobb rolls in the snow to save Ariadne."

"What?" Emma Roberts's eyes widened. "I have to roll in the snow, too?"

"You'll have to," Matthew confirmed with a nod.

Soon, Matthew and Emma Roberts were called to shoot their scene. Walking to the top of a small slope, Matthew glanced down at the drop—only three or four meters. In a moment, he would be carrying Emma and tumbling down from there.

"We've checked the snow in this area and repacked it." The assistant director came over and told Matthew, "The snow is over half a meter deep, so there's no danger."

Emma Roberts, who was right behind Matthew, shivered just looking at the snow. "I hope it's thick."

The assistant director continued his warning. "Be careful when you roll down, don't go off course." He then spoke specifically to Emma Roberts, "Relax your body and let Matthew control the movement. With his skills, it'll be easy."

Emma looked at Matthew, who nodded at her, and she nodded back.

Though she complained, as an actress, she wouldn't back down when it was time to perform.

"Final checks!" the assistant director yelled. "We start shooting in five minutes!"

Matthew checked his down jacket, pulled out his pistol, inspected it carefully, and returned it to its holster. Then he zipped up his jacket, leaving it in the most convenient position for a quick draw.

Five minutes flew by, and on Christopher Nolan's command, filming began immediately.

Matthew scrambled up the small, white hill of frozen snow and said to Emma Roberts, "Keep moving!"

Emma Roberts, her face red from the cold, nodded hastily.

They had barely started to move when the roar of snowmobiles erupted from behind them. Five actors in white tactical gear were racing toward them, some aiming assault rifles in their direction.

"Look out!"

Matthew tackled Emma, and following the choreography, they rolled to the bottom of the slope together. The smooth snow was instantly churned up, and flakes packed into their hoods and collars as they tumbled.

They covered the three-meter distance in an instant. Ignoring the cold seeping down his neck, Matthew drew his pistol, pulled Emma to her feet, and broke into a run.

Emma was terrified of the cold, but she was a consummate professional. Ignoring the snow melting down her collar, she gripped Matthew's hand tightly and ran with him.

Matthew ran a few meters, spun around, and fired. As the shot rang out, a speeding snowmobile suddenly veered out of control and crashed into a nearby tree.

Suddenly, gunshots erupted from Matthew's left—James McAvoy and Michael Fassbender had arrived as backup, taking down the remaining pursuers.

"Cut!" Christopher Nolan shouted. "That's a wrap on this one! Take a break, and we'll move on to the next scene."

Matthew immediately dropped his character, holstered his pistol, and brushed the snow off himself. Emma Roberts was doing the same, but with much more vigor.

"This is so annoying," she complained, shaking out her clothes. "So cold..."

***

Emma Roberts felt a little better. She followed Matthew to where the crew had parked their vehicles and asked as they walked, "Is that bitch's scene done yet?"

Matthew knew she was talking about Anne Hathaway. "She probably won't be on set until after you've finished your scenes."

Emma pressed on, "If she shows up, I'll make sure she regrets it."

Matthew kindly reminded her, "Don't forget your aunt."

The anger on Emma Roberts's face vanished instantly. Clearly, she was afraid of her aunt, Julia Roberts.

They got back on the same snowmobile, and Emma once again pressed her body against his back, muttering, "You're just using my aunt to scare me."

Matthew continued to reason with her. "Emma, don't create problems for your aunt."

Emma was silent for a moment before replying, "I know."

She had made Anne Hathaway back off from harassing Emma. Matthew didn't know how Julia Roberts had managed it, but she must have paid a certain price.

Otherwise, why would Anne Hathaway have given up?

In the afternoon, the crew filmed in the middle of the snow and ice. Matthew, leading the core team, split them into three-man cells and advanced decisively toward their raid objective. They shot until about four in the afternoon, when a heavy snow began to fall. As the weather worsened, Christopher Nolan simply let the crew wrap up early for the day.

By the next day, the snow was still falling, forcing the crew to temporarily halt production. James McAvoy, Michael Fassbender, and a few others made plans to go out and enjoy the rare snowy landscape.

Matthew had no desire to go out in the cold and declined the invitation, staying in his room and settling into an armchair by the roaring fireplace to keep warm.

The air conditioner in the room blew a weak stream of warm air while the fireplace blazed with hot flames. Matthew sat in his armchair, covered with a wool blanket, sipping hot tea from time to time and feeling perfectly comfortable.

And he wasn't alone for long. Shortly after James and Michael left, there was a knock at the door. In came Emma Roberts, who also hated the cold.

Matthew brought another lounge chair and a wool blanket for her, and the two of them settled in by the roaring fire, agreeing that this was far better than going out into the freezing cold.

Matthew pulled another armchair over for her and handed her a wool blanket. They sat beside each other and talked, nestled by the warm fireplace.